What We Do
Design
We offer a full range of design services for horses, humans and even the hounds. Maybe you have a big piece of land to develop your dream equestrian estate. Maybe years of little contractor additions to the home you love have culminated in a series of spaces that is no longer cohesive or suitable to your lifestyle. Maybe your home just needs a screen porch, a lovely master suite or an updated kitchen layout.
Need a small living solution? Downsizing to a true “tiny house” might be going a little too far. Maybe you need a pool house or a chic guest house that speaks to the surrounding architecture.
From small additions to your biggest dreams, let HCD help you achieve your goals, protect your investment and deliver a project that is reflective of your needs, your personality, and your lifestyle in every detail.
Planning
If you are starting from scratch, there are many things to consider when planning out your site. If you are planning a working farm, there are even more considerations. Where is the barn in relation to the house? How far do you have to walk to the paddocks? How big should they be? Where would the horses like the run-in sheds and which way should they face? Where is the best place for the waterers? The manure? Where do the drainfield and the power lines need to go? Do they conflict with the driveway or the riding ring? How should the ring be oriented? Is there an easement on the property? Let HCD help you organize the layout and the particulars of equine logistics to suit your specific needs and site.
Permit Expediting Services (Loudoun, Fauquier, & Surrounding Counties)
All sorts of construction activities require permits. From decks and kitchen renovations to agricultural buildings and ponds, to large earthwork jobs such as farm roads and riding rings. Permits are in place to protect the land, the natural resources, and the people who live there. Do not avoid pulling a permit just because you think it is too difficult. Let HCD streamline the process for you and get your permit expedited.
- Due diligence
- Code consulting
- Application preparation & submission
SWPPP Management Services
If you are disturbing more than an acre of land, you may be required by the State to manage a Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP). We offer stormwater inspections and document management to streamline and simplify your compliance process. We are certified as a Responsible Land Disturber through the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality to carry out land disturbing activities in accordance with your approved erosion and sediment control plan. Let our staff of certified RLD’s manage the SWPPP for you and provide advice on compliance related issues and challenges throughout construction.
Documentation Services
- Regulatory documentation, permitting and planning
- SWPPP binder and drawings for the field
- Close-out documentation and filings
Jobsite Services
- Weekly inspections, monitoring, and oversight
- Maintenance and repairs certification
- Compliance assurance & plan components
Project Management
What is Project Management? Many homeowners think that once the drawings are done all that is left is to pick a contractor and the paint colors. There is more to it than that if you want a project that is time and cost effective. If you are starting from scratch there are drainfields, drilled wells, and electricity along with site access and staging areas that can be addressed before you even hire a GC. Getting the right General Contractor under the right contract is the first step in mitigating change orders down the line. Regularly scheduled progress meetings will keep the project moving and stay ahead of design decisions, lead items, and coordination with any client vendors like audio-visual equipment or security systems. HCD’s reasonable fees are usually recouped in change order mitigation. When conflicts do arise wouldn’t you rather have a knowledgeable professional look out for your best interests and address the issues for you?
About Leah
Since 2002, Leah has been designing dwellings and managing construction throughout the Piedmont and Washington Metropolitan areas. Before starting her own firm in 2012, Leah worked as a Project Manager for a firm in Chantilly, VA where she oversaw over a quarter billion dollars in new construction, renovations, expansions, and upgrades with a focus on institutional and non-profit sectors.
In 2018, she was selected to design a building for the veteran owned nonprofit Semper K9 on the show Returning the Favor with Mike Rowe. Leah has been invited as a regular guest lecturer at John's Hopkins University Carey School of Business. A graduate of the Catholic University School of Architecture, a member of the USGBC, and a LEED Accredited Professional, Leah continues to ride almost every day.
· Over 100 projects designed, managed, or consulted on in the Middleburg and surrounding areas.
· $237,000,000 in institutional construction projects managed over eight years in the DC Metropolitan area.
· 40 years of hands on experience working in a wide variety of barns and equine disciplines as a professional rider, trainer, and manager. More than 80,000 lifetime rides.
· Graduate of the Catholic University School of Architecture, Phi Theta Kappa, Tau Sigma Delta, Phi Sigma Tau.
· USGBC member and LEED® Accredited Professional, Certified Draftsman and Cad Operator
· Guest lecturer at John’s Hopkins University Carey School of Business and the Northern Virginia Association of Realtors.
